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Day Trip: Point Reyes National Seashore

One of my favorite Modern Love essays discusses how we tend to believe that love happens to us. We fall into and out of it as if it were an accident. There was nothing we could do.

But this pertains only to falling in love with people of course. When we talk about our hopes and goals, we firmly stress how active we must be in accomplishing them. They aren’t just going to fall into our laps. We gotta earn them.

I don’t think anything in our lives occurs passively. We fall in love because we actively try to understand another human being on a deeper level, and in return be understood.

We also fall in love with more than just people. We are emotionally involved with food (ahem cheesecake), music (ahem Drake), and places—like California. This past weekend, I rediscovered this through a day trip to Point Reyes National Seashore, and I’m sharing my guide on how to enjoy this gorgeous nook of the state.

The Tomales Bay Trailhead at Pierce Point Ranch is one of my favorite hikes because it takes you to the actual point of Point Reyes. At the end of the trail, which is 10 miles round trip, you find yourself on a sandy cliff overlooking the ocean. It’s scintillating and tiring and worth every mud puddle, elk sighting (of which there are a lot, as this hike goes through the Tule Elk Reserve), and off-terrain forging. By the end, you’ll feel like a modern-day Lewis and Clark. And if you don’t feel it that day, you’ll def feel it the next when you wake up sore and accomplished.

An ideal day on this trail starts early, but in the spirit of active discovery and love, set your alarms and get going! Here’s what I recommend:

Getting There

If you’re driving from SF, leave at 8am. It’ll take you a couple hours to get to the trailhead.

Stop by the Point Reyes shipwreck. It’s actually more of a confused and decrepit boat, but it makes for some seriously pretty Instagrams.

Park at Pierce Point Trailhead and begin!

What to Bring

Water, a hearty breakfast, and snacks. It’s a 10-mile trip so you’ll want to be nourished.

A windbreaker

Sturdy shoes you don’t mind getting muddy. Parts of the trail are unmaintained, so you’ll be making your own path through plants and other crap. This isn’t the time to show off your latest athleisure purchase.

Sunglasses/hat

A Bluetooth speaker that fits in your backpack. I love listening to music while walking, and other people on the trail appreciate it too, mostly because they don’t have a choice.

What Else To Do

Once you’re done with the hike, drive down to Fairfax for unique Mexican fare at Más Masa, an eatery that makes their tortillas with blue corn. Go unabashedly IN on some tacos and a refreshing chicha morada drink.

If you’re out here on a Saturday, you can have your late lunch/early dinner at Cowgirl Creamery. They close at 5pm and aren’t open on Sundays, so plan accordingly, and don’t do what I did and make everyone run the last part of the trail yelling “CHEESE” and effectively scaring away the elk.

Take all the photos. You’re in arguably one of the most gorgeous places in the Bay Area. Take it in and remember to get after what, where, and who you want.

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About

Shikha here - a Bay Area native, content marketer, and pastry cook-turned blogger living in San Francisco. I see the world through food (and Drake lyrics), and am here to help you eat life to its fullest.